Computing power continues to be extended into smaller and more varied devices. Cellular telephones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), handheld gaming systems, navigation devices, and so on, continue to exhibit more and more computer-like properties. For example, these devices may run a version(s) of a general purpose operating system. These types of devices may sometimes be referred to as personal electronic devices (PEDs). These types of devices may also be referred to as “mobile devices.”
One characteristic of a PED or mobile device is that its user and/or owner may want it to be customized. Customization may be desired because each user may want their own unique experience with their device. The customization desire may come from the individual user level, an organization level, a regional level, and so on. For example, a first user may want their computing device to run a first set of applications (e.g., personal productivity) while a second user may want their computing device to run a second set of applications (e.g., gaming). Similarly, one organization (e.g., parcel delivery business) may want their PEDs to run shipping and delivery applications while another organization (e.g., grocery store) may want their PEDs to run inventory and order entry applications. Additionally, both organizations may want to ensure that their PEDs do not run games or browsers.
There are three main areas of customization: application customization, look and feel customization, and settings customization. Application customization concerns establishing the set of applications, drivers, operating system modules, and so on, that are available on a device. Look and feel customization concerns establishing odors, user interface characteristics, and so on. Settings customization concerns establishing wireless networking parameters, and so on. Therefore, customizing a PED may include installing a desired set of applications, installing custom applications, configuring device settings, and so on. In one example, device settings may be stored in an XML file. Customizing a PED may also include fine tuning the look and feel of a device (e.g., display colors, display language, soft button location). More generally, customizing a device (e.g., PED) may include adding or modifying device software to meet user requirements. In some examples, customizing may even include removing existing applications from a base distribution associated with the device.
Conventionally, device manufacturers may have customized devices using a “unique ROM” approach. Unique ROMs may have been prepared at the region, organization, locale, operation, user, and other levels. The unique ROM approach has experienced issues with cost, complexity, ROM space wastage, SKU (stock keeping unit) proliferation, and so on. Additionally, customization using the unique ROM approach and/or other conventional approaches has typically been dependent on the device manufacturer and thus unavailable and/or inaccessible to the person(s) seeking the customization.